Republic of Ireland V Latvia - Wednesday, 22nd March 2023 - Friendly

[Kingdom]

Some have given up before a ball has been kicked in this group. Can you remember a group in the last 40 years where that's happened?

And I can look back but I don't think I dismissed any of elatedscum's posts because of elo rankings. I just don't really care about them but each to their own.

Quoting you, but equally applicable to Posher, was the absolute and consistent goading of a proportion of posters on this forum for having the temerity to get excited about the calibre of players coming through the ranks. That giddiness was not rooted in planking collective arses in armchairs and watching match of the day or Super Sunday, it was from being involved in day-to-day youth football over a number of years, watching kids over number of years, attending coaching courses over a number of years and recognising huge strides in development, which includes in the main having squads that are far more balanced in terms of abilities, geographical and demographical representation. Gaps are lessening all the time. to the point where we are consistent performers at 17s and 19s.

The absolute glee that some took here at repeatedly referring to some posters 'ridiculous' or 'giddy' expectations - which was a premise to bash support for the manager, insofar as the only reason the manager was appointed was because of the 21yr olds at his disposal, now that they are sh*te, he can f*ck right off/ - was vulgar. Because in the main, the only thing those people have contributed to Irish football over the years is that we consume an incredible amount of alcohol.

It is just shifting the goalposts for people to be whinging about posters - me included - getting super excited about some legitimately brilliant talents, and then fast forward a few years telling us realistic expectations are a nonsense, when the giddiness that those original people were bashed for, turn out to be unattainable.

It cannot be both ways.

[Kingdom]

Worth mentioning that we've only won 2 qualifying games out of 19 against first/second seeds at home in those 18 years (Germany, Bosnia 2015).

EC 88 - 0/3
WC 90 - 2/2 (or 1/1 more precisely)
EC 92 - 0/1
WC 94 - 0/2 (or 0/1 more precisely)
EC 96 - 1/1
WC 98 - 0/1
EC 00 - 2/2
WC 02 - 1/2
EC 04 - 0/2 (or 0/1 more precisely)
WC 06 - 0/2 (or 0/1 more precisely)
EC 08 - 1/3
WC 10 - 0/2
EC 12 - 0/2
WC 14 - 0/3
EC 16 - 1/2 (or 1/3 if we include Scotland)
WC 18 - 0/3
EC 20 - 0/3
WC 22 - 0/2


If I could include that Patrick Bateman gif to demonstrate just how confident we should all be, I would do so, right here.

[pineapple stu]

I suppose there’s a value to a degree of continuity and there are players who would benefit from minutes in that system (I’m thinking Evan Ferguson in particular but also guys like O’Dowda, Smallbone etc.).

4-3-3 is more suited to beating sides who’s primary aim is not to lose, mostly because you often have a centre half who is totally redundant. The last 30 mins against Lithuania was progress on that front when Manning moved in there because he provided incisive creativity with his passes from that position which is almost always lacking.

It certainly doesn’t make any sense to start 4-3-3 and transition to 5-3-2 if it doesn’t work.
Yeah, that all sounds reasonable - though I remember the comment after the 0-0 draw with Liechtenstein, "If Plan A fails, resort to Plan A". So while I get the point about continuity, equally being a bit flexible has to be an option for consideration too? We've a longer than usual time between games this break and can surely use that time to prep for France a different way to Latvia. I'd really like to get past this tendency to struggle against the minnows. It's happening far too often.


Yup. I mean we did concede 2 against Armenia in the last competitive window. If he could turn those goals into saves - maybe he can give us all pause for thought, as unlikely as that is.

In his last start for Liverpool, against Wolves, I thought he was really excellent
Bazunu played that 3-2 win, not Kelleher? (Just it reads from your post like you're talking about Kelleher in that game)


Looking at some of the opinion expressed here and elsewhere I find myself slightly disquieted by the idea being expounded - no more strongly than by Kenny supporters themselves - of our being completely no-hopers and our qualification bid effectively being over before it's even begun.

I've never known so much negativity and such tempered expectations prior to a new qualification campaign.
I'd echo Stutts' call to point out the Kenny supporters here btw. I think it's a vastly over-used term; most of the posters I read here are trying to judge the team on its own merits and aren't particularly gone on the manager either way. You have the extremes at either end (mypost and BOOMers) who do tend to drag the debate down with them, but arguing against them shouldn't be conflated with being an ardent Kenny supporter/opponent.

The pessimism is because (a) we have two of the top teams in the world in our group; that's a bad draw, (b) we still have a poor squad with at best a couple of poor Premier League players (maybe Ferguson aside) and nobody close to CL level (you could argue Doherty, but he's a fringe player at best for Spurs and Atletico), which is a step up again and is where a good chunk of the French/Dutch players are at and (c) we have had a lot of poor results lately even against teams on our own level, so the idea of getting six points even from Greece seems odds against at the moment. You could add in unusual squad selections, though the likes of McGrath and Johnstone (or bringing in Szmodmics or Manning or whoever) aren't likely to change the picture massively, as Craft has pointed out earlier. But we have developing (but not yet developed) goalkeepers, ageing wingbacks, a midfield in the habit of going missing too easily and far too many goal-shy forwards. You've got to be a bit realistic about our chances against Holland and France.

I would hope for a decent win and performance against Latvia and a fighting performance against France, but I can't see us getting anything out of that one. If Latvia turns out like Malta or worse, or if we get thumped by France, then I would say that should be the end of Kenny (like the 6-1 against Germany was the end of Trap). And let's be honest, either of those results are possible too.

[pineapple stu]

Idah confirmed as ruled out by Wagner. Curious if a replacement will be called up or if Keane was put in there, essentially knowing that Idah was almost certainly ruled out.
Indo today reporting that he's joining up with the squad in a bid to make the France game at least.

[Kingdom]

1. Bazunu/Kelleher
2. Doherty
3. O’Shea
4. Egan
5. Collins
6. McClean
7. Cullen
8. Molumby
9. Knight/Smallbone/Sykes/McGrath
10. Ferguson
11. Obafemi/Parrott

I think I’d be confident in knowing for sure 8 of my starting 11 against France, probably even 9.

I was texting mates the other day and suggested 8 are certs.

I'm wondering something vs France. If we take that they'll have some variation of Mbappé, Griezemann, Thuram and Coman, possibly all 4, but unlikely...would Andy Omabamidele be the best bet to 'mark' Mbappé in terms of a foot-race? OShea is no slouch, but Nathan Collins absolutely has a weakness on the turn - I'd see it as possibly his only serious weakness - and that Doherty in front of him takes the edge away from Doc's play, which is in that inside right channel in the defensive half and the outside right channel in the offensive half.
I'm not suggesting we drop Collins, Egan probably won't because he's captain and a very good threat in the opposition box, but perhaps we might see Omabamidele, Collins, Egan as the three (in that order)?



X??Doherty
O’Shea
Egan
Collins
McClean
?Cullen
Molumby
X??Ferguson ?X

Against Latvia, I’d plan to play two different formations. I’d play the first half in a 5-3-2 and the second half in a 4-3-3. What we’ve found is that against weaker sides - once we score, 5-3-2 is successful but when teams sit deep, and we don’t score early, we can struggle to break them down. So I think going forward, being able to play both systems would help avoid most of those calamity results or near misses.

Totally agree.


GK: I’d start with Kelleher in goal for the Latvia game. I’d very likely start Bazunu for the France game but I’d make that call after the Latvia game was over. If for some reason, Kelleher managed to perform so well that it changed my opinion. Don’t see it as being likely but no harm in having the info
I don't see a huge amount of difference between either keeper in a pure defensive capacity - I think that i'm more nervous with Gav under crosses, but that may not have any basis in fact. But I absolutely believe that Caoimhin is the better footballing goalkeeper. What might sound like illogical ways of picking a side, while I'd fully accept the jersey is Gav's to lose, I'd pick Kelleher vs Latvia, and if showed that he's not rusty, I'd nearly pick him vs France. (but that's biased as I do like him).

RWB: Doherty - he probably needs minutes against Latvia, but not too many. He struggles with fitness when playing 2 games in a short space of time, no point on burning him out. So I’d play him and switch him for Coleman after 55 mins. I don’t fancy Mbappe taking on Coleman and the pace differential, so I think Doc is the only option. I’d play 5 at the back and try have your wing back and your right sided centre half (O’Shea) double up on Mbappe. Same on the other side with Coman or Kolo Muani or whoever will be playing right wing. Then just hope that the space that their fullbacks get at a result doesn’t cost us too much. But generally the real danger France have comes from the 3 behind Giroud - the two wingers and Griezmann.


RCB - O’Shea - I’d start Omobamidele against Latvia to give him minutes and to see how he looks after the injury but I think O’Shea is the starter for the France game. Coleman is playing really well of late and is an option but I do think he’s a better right back than a right wing back or right centre half.

CB - Egan - will probably captain the side. I’d start him against Latvia and take him off after 45 and bring on a winger and move to a back 4. He doesn’t need the minutes particularly.

LCB - Collins - get him 90 mins against Latvia and again against France.

I think we're wasting time putting Nathan anywhere else but the stopper/central cog of the three. Egan is quite comfortable as the lcb and given that we're weak at lwb, his organistion and reading would be preferable there. I've been as big a supporter of John Egan if not more than anyone here for a very long time, but I think the sooner we get the three kids bedded in together the better. Not suggesting that vs France, but I'd like to see it become the staple by the end of the campaign, fitness willing.


LWB - McClean. I haven’t seen a huge amount of O’Dowda at LWB but I’d trust McClean a bit more defensively and that he’d be a bit more fight about him which we’ll probably need against the french. I’d start O’Dowda against the Latvians and bring on McClean at the same time as Coleman, in part because McClean is probably better at left back.

I don't like him and I don't trust him. If we had a willing replacement at RWB, I'd pick Doc here. We don't so I'd pick ODowda, purely because he's not McClean.


RCM - Molumby would start for me against France. It’s between him and Hendrick and I’d value the extra bite, energy and athleticism he provides. Hendrick probably to come on when Molumby is at risk of getting a second yellow.

??CM - Cullen. I’d wrap him in cotton wool for the Latvia game given his current workload and his lack of a viable replacement. I’d start Smallbone along with Hendrick in the Latvia game.


I actually don't think this is a decision anymore, I think Jayson and Josh are the two recognised starting midfielders for this campaign, regardless of the circumstances. I've a hard-on for Molumby, I don't hide it.


LCM - the more attacking midfielder - i’d most likely start Knight for the france game - and probably Sykes for the Latvia game - but i’m undecided. All of Knight, Smallbone, Sykes, McGrath and Browne offer different qualities. Browne would be the most conservative (aeriel ability, aggression and goal threat) and probably the only one I’d be against. McGrath has been widely slated here but his performances for Ireland have been good. And he has qualities as a composed carrier of the ball, linking midfield and attack, with more vision than any of the other midfielders (a low bar).

Was thinking about McGrath. Club career in the ****ter, but hasn't been poor for ireland and was very good when we were good in portugal. I'd pick Knight here though. And I like Alan Browne. He has a f*ck up in him, but he gets into good positions and like it or not, he's our only scoring midfielder who arguably should have had more.
But it has to be Knight. He's just too...everything! to not start him - when our likely success will be from placing them under serious pressure on and off the ball - would be a mistake.


ST - Ferguson starts for me. I’d give him 70 minutes against Latvia (before being replaced by Obafemi) and I’d start him again against France. Hard to know who is his best partner. I liked the Obafemi-Parrott pairing, I felt they had great understanding - but you can’t ignore Evan. Only problem is that you’ve got to create a partnership on the fly. ??ST - I’d start Parrott against Latvia and give him 45 minutes before bringing on Ogbene for the 4-3-3 switch. So basically game begins with a Ferguson-Parrott pair, before turning into a Ogbene-Ferguson-Johnston front 3 with Obafemi replacing Ferguson for the last 20. Obafemi needs minutes but I’d be more afraid of him picking up a knock against Latvia. He has a terrible knack of getting injured on the first game of an international window. I kinda fear Kenny might see Keane as the ideal partner for Ferguson. I hope not - but I can imagine Keane sitting deeper is something that might appeal to Kenny, the number 10 to Ferguson’s no. 9. Anyway, i’d make a call between Parrott and Obafemi after the Latvia game, seeing how they both looked.


Ferguson absolutely. And the partnership is a vital point that cannot be dismissed. I was stunned by how isolated Ev was for the 21s the couple of times I saw him, to the point where I'd nearly consider him playing slightly withdrawn and leave the partner as the runner. He needs ball into feet, and while I think this would be Troy's best position, I don't think Parrot can start as much as I like him, and with Idah out, it's a straight choice between Cheodzie or Obafemi. I'd be inclined to go with Obafemi, but wouldn't be disappointed with Ogbene either. I think with Ogbene on one side and Knight on the other, it probably keeps france a bit more honest.


So it’d end up with:

- Latvia First half:

Kelleher

Doherty
Omobamidele
Egan
Collins
O’Dowda

Hendrick
Smallbone
Sykes or McGrath

Parrott
Ferguson

Latvia Second half:

Kelleher

Coleman (after 55)
Omobamidele
Collins
McClean (after 55)

Same midfield with Knight coming in after 70

Ogbene
Ferguson (replaced by Obafemi after 70
Johnston


France:

Bazunu/Kelleher

Doherty
O’Shea
Egan
Collins
McClean

Cullen
Molumby
Knight/Sykes/McGrath

Parrott/Obafemi
Ferguson

Thanks be to god some good posts to consider, thanks ES.

[ifk101]

Obafemi and Ferguson to start against France but would use the Latvia game to test that partnership. Wonder if Obafemi and Ferguson might be a bit too similar in the narrow central positionings they both like to take. Not sure who will play alongside Cullen and Molumby in midfield, thinking Kenny will favour Browne but pity Smallbone hasn't been tested before now. But otherwise think the team to play France will be:
Bazunu;
Doherty, Collins, Egan, O’Shea, McClean;
Cullen, Molumby, ?;
Ferguson, Obafemi.

[Jd2793]

id go with smallbone but i think he'll pick knight.

[Kingdom]

appreciating that there is some time between the two games, I'd still like to see us with a more proactive side vs Latvia.

I'd like to see a 4231 vs Latvia, if possible.
Kelleher
Coleman Omabamidele OShea ODowda
------------------ Hendrick
------------------ Browne -----------
Ogbene ----- Parrot ----- Smallbone
------------------ Obafemi,

Give Doc, Ferguson, Sykes etc a run at the 60 min mark.

Deal with France later in the week.

[Razors left peg]

appreciating that there is some time between the two games, I'd still like to see us with a more proactive side vs Latvia.

I'd like to see a 4231 vs Latvia, if possible.
Kelleher
Coleman Omabamidele OShea ODowda
------------------ Hendrick
------------------ Browne -----------
Ogbene ----- Parrot ----- Smallbone
------------------ Obafemi,

Give Doc, Ferguson, Sykes etc a run at the 60 min mark.

Deal with France later in the week.

I just threw up in my mouth a bit when I seen the midfield of Hendrick and Browne. I know Kenny should only care about winning the France game and the Latvia game can be used to change things around, but hes in a position where he has to win and be positive. If he picked that midfield I think there would be uproar and there could be a pretty negative atmostphere in the stadium.

I still believe we should be looking to play our France 11 for at least a half on Wednesday and then rest players in 2nd half.

[Kingdom]

If Josh Cullen can't play against France, we don't get a result.
He's that important imo.

This is where Kenny is entering no-win territory. If he picks any frontliner vs Latvia and they get injured, South Park occurs.

[Razors left peg]

If Josh Cullen can't play against France, we don't get a result.
He's that important imo.

This is where Kenny is entering no-win territory. If he picks any frontliner vs Latvia and they get injured, South Park occurs.

I dont disagree that its a fine line, but players can get injured in training too. You cant just wrap them up in cotton wool. This team hasnt played together in a while and the last couple of games were awful so I think there is a bit of getting the actually team ready to play together

[Jd2793]

just play molumby in the 6 v latvia. he doesnt have the same passing ability as cullen but latvia arent great, he should do fine. hendrick deeper is an accident waiting to happen

[Stuttgart88]

It aws always a myth that Hendrick can play deep imho. Anytime he has done well it has been attacking space in the opponent's half.

[Jd2793]

It aws always a myth that Hendrick can play deep imho. Anytime he has done well it has been attacking space in the opponent's half.

yep and he isnt the most mobile either imo always a liability when we are countered. keep him higher up the park if hes playing

[Razors left peg]

It aws always a myth that Hendrick can play deep imho. Anytime he has done well it has been attacking space in the opponent's half.

Agreed, any of his good games for Ireland over the years are when he was playing in a more attacking position.

[TonyD]

I still believe we should be looking to play our France 11 for at least a half on Wednesday and then rest players in 2nd half.

I would agree. Start the team he intends to play against France. I think mostly it picks itself. I have to say, I’ve always liked Ogbene. Great attitude, good pace, and has a goal in him. Maybe go with the three upfront, himself Ferguson and Obafemi. I also like Knight . Molumby and Cullen are definites in the middle I’d say. We are going to have to work very hard without the ball.

[Jd2793]

i dont see a purpose of going with the france team. this friendly means little in the scheme of things. he already wasted the malta game using players we know enough about in a formation that cant break teams down. bit more expansive this time around with a mix of newer caps + first team certs

CK
Doherty Collins OShea McClean
Molumby Sykes Smallbone
Ogbene Ferguson O'Dowda

Johnston for odowda on 60. Sykes has decent experience in cm even if hes mostly played rm this season. ogbene wide right to give us more of an attacking threat.

[nigel-harps1954]

--------------Bazunu--------------

Coleman-Collins-Egan-McClean

--------------Cullen--------------

-----Molumby----Smallbone-----

-Ogbene---Ferguson---Knight-


Rinse and repeat for France. Thank you for the three points and good night.

[Razors left peg]

i dont see a purpose of going with the france team. this friendly means little in the scheme of things. he already wasted the malta game using players we know enough about in a formation that cant break teams down. bit more expansive this time around with a mix of newer caps + first team certs

CK
Doherty Collins OShea McClean
Molumby Sykes Smallbone
Ogbene Ferguson O'Dowda

Johnston for odowda on 60. Sykes has decent experience in cm even if hes mostly played rm this season. ogbene wide right to give us more of an attacking threat.

O'Dowda is a full back these days, he shouldnt be even considered that far forward.

Bazunu
Doherty Collins Egan O'Shea O'Dowda
Cullen Molumby Knight
Ferguson Obafemi

Kenny has said recently that he doesnt believe in sitting back for 90 minutes and just inviting other team on, so I think he will be as proactive as possible. That would be my team for both games but changes in the 2nd half of Latvia game with a change of formation

Bazunu
Coleman Collins Omobamidele Doherty
Browne Smallbone Sykes
Ogbene Parrott Johnston

[pineapple stu]

i dont see a purpose of going with the france team.
I agree. They're two vastly different games where we'll have to be set up differently. What's the point in lining up at home against Latvia set to counter Coman and Mbappé's pace? What's to learn when, having done that, you're facing guys from Jablonec and Raków Czestochowa instead? You might want an outlet up front against France who could hold the ball up with back to goal, and allow the mid time to break - that could even be Idah, based on his performance in Portugal, but based on every other performance from him he'd be as useful as tits on a bull against Latvia.

If we have even 45 minutes of being set up defensively against Latvia at home, Kenny deserves to go.

I don't understand what the counter argument here is.

[ontheotherhand]

I agree. They're two vastly different games where we'll have to be set up differently. What's the point in lining up at home against Latvia set to counter Coman and Mbappé's pace? What's to learn when, having done that, you're facing guys from Jablonec and Raków Czestochowa instead? You might want an outlet up front against France who could hold the ball up with back to goal, and allow the mid time to break - that could even be Idah, based on his performance in Portugal, but based on every other performance from him he'd be as useful as tits on a bull against Latvia.

If we have even 45 minutes of being set up defensively against Latvia at home, Kenny deserves to go.

I don't understand what the counter argument here is.

I don't feel strongly about it but I suppose there's an argument for putting out the same 11 for at least a while so they can get familiar? I'd be looking at the front 3 and maybe the midfield pairing outside of Cullen there for the most part. Other areas pick themselves for better or worse. I'd rather we were looking at different options everywhere but the timing of this game makes it a warmup and nothing more really. Kenny missed his chance to experiment in the last round of games.

So I'd like to see Ferguson and whoever will partner him against France play for at least 45 against Latvia. Maybe himself Parrot and Ogbene. It's a shame Obafemi hasn't played more. Could use each half against Latvia to see which combo looks the most effective. Maybe we even score a few to get them a bit of confidence.

But who knows what Kenny will do at this point.

[pineapple stu]

I don't feel strongly about it but I suppose there's an argument for putting out the same 11 for at least a while so they can get familiar?
Isn't that what training's for though?

How familiar will three at the back get if they have (touch wood!) little to really stretch them in that time?

You could make a good argument for individual positions, sure (eg a front pairing like you suggest) but but the whole 11 I'd have thought

[ontheotherhand]

Isn't that what training's for though?

How familiar will three at the back get if they have (touch wood!) little to really stretch them in that time?

You could make a good argument for individual positions, sure (eg a front pairing like you suggest) but but the whole 11 I'd have thought

We don't get a lot of time to train together at international level but yeah I agree with you in that I'm more interested in looking at combos up front and in the middle. Maybe down either flank as well but the options aren't really there. Hopefully the back 3/4 don't have much to do......cue 2 long range goals for Latvia.

What's the best front 3? I'm sort of leaning towards Obafemi, Ferguson and Ogbene but Kenny will probably play Parrot. He might be good slightly behind Obafemi and Ferguson.

I just hope Ferguson plays both games. Been a long time since I've been this excited about an Irish player breaking through.

[paul_oshea]

If Ireland draw or lose to Latvia they are on the back foot straight away heading into the biggest game this far of Kenny's era , yes it is , he's not going to want a poor performance or bad result. He's a lot more rigid the last few windows. If he starts experimenting with the starting 11 it could go awry quickly. He'll line them up fairly strong to start with.

Agree re the front options. Try 2/3 with Ferguson. Parrot , ogbene and obafemi. Id prefer to see 50 mins of obamfemi and then maybe parrot and ogbene( but still Ferguson). I think he'll go with obafemi to start the France game.

I said back in the September (the previous year)window when ogbene shone in the fai videos was that a signal for a starting spot. Will be keeping an eye on the videos this time around.

[Razors left peg]

For me it's simple, the time for experimentation is over, we have a run of matches between now and November where the messing around needs to be done with. There'll be plenty of friendlies after that where we can experiment if necessary. If players need to be thrown in at the deep end in qualifiers so be it, playing 45 mins vs Latvia will change very little.

[Kingdom]

i dont see a purpose of going with the france team. this friendly means little in the scheme of things. he already wasted the malta game using players we know enough about in a formation that cant break teams down. bit more expansive this time around with a mix of newer caps + first team certs

That was my thinking. Plus he's got to get to a stage where we need to be giving squad players some game time.
Latvia are poor, very poor, and we're going to have a lot - nay, we should have a lot - of the ball. It will be night and day in terms of how we'll be playing vs france. That said, I think we could have more of the ball than we'd expect to vs les blues.

That said, I do fully appreciate the merits of giving the actual team to start/finish vs france some time together. Also appreciate that players can get injured at any time.

[Kingdom]

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/2023/03/21/omobamidele-happy-to-see-the-back-of-stress-fracture-injury-ahead-of-euro-qualifier-against-france/

Andrew Omobamidele might well get the chance to measure himself against Kylian Mbappé next week, but only 12 months ago he was stuck at home weighing up another tedious day in a back brace.

In late 2021 the Norwich City centre back was informed he had a stress fracture in his back and would need to rest. Omobamidele started for the Canaries in their Premier League defeat away to Spurs on December 5th but did not play another game all season – sitting out the remainder of the campaign.

The former Leixlip United player had featured regularly for Ireland in 2021, making his senior debut in the World Cup qualifier away to Portugal.

Thankfully, he has recovered from that injury speed bump and has made 28 appearances for Norwich this season, 21 of them as a starter.

The 20-year-old has also been included in Stephen Kenny’s Ireland squad for Wednesday’s friendly against Latvia and Monday’s Euro 2024 qualifier against France. Omobamidele is clearly relieved to have moved away from those humdrum laid-up days of last year.

“It’s not like a normal injury, where you’d have to do rehab and stuff,” he explains.

“With my back, it was just a complete shut down and I had to wear a back brace for about two months. I couldn’t do anything. I’d get up in the morning, go in, get a massage, go home again. That was my life. I had to wear it all the time except when I slept.

“Looking back now it was difficult. It made me find my way in certain areas that maybe I wouldn’t have found. I had good support back at Norwich and I’m just thankful I got through it.

“The worst part was they were not able to tell me, ‘you’re out for six months’. It was more like, ‘we’ll keep scanning every three weeks to see how it’s progressing’. That was the gruelling part for me, sitting there not knowing when I’d be back, wondering if it was a month, two or three. I could never plan anything, it was difficult.”

Having missed the second part of the 2021-22 season, during which Norwich suffered relegation, Omobamidele finally returned to competitive action when their 2022-23 Championship schedule kicked off against Cardiff at the end of July.

But he admits it took him several matches before that Cardiff encounter to restore confidence that his body could absorb the shunts.

“I think we played King’s Lynn away in a friendly, I was starting and I was proper nervous. I was going over it in my head, ‘what’s going to happen with my back?’ Stuff like that. But just a couple of passes, and stuff you take for granted when you’re playing football, stepping up with the line, I just kind of forgot about it,” Omobamidele says.

“I remember coming in with the boys at half-time and they were saying, ‘how’s your back?’ I was like, ‘it’s gone, I don’t feel it.’ That was probably the moment.

“That had been the first time in my whole career that I was out for more than a month. I had to ease myself back in and I was a bit anxious because you do everything with your back. I got a lot of confidence from those first few weeks when I got no pain.”

[ Robbie Brady misses cut for Stephen Kenny’s Ireland squad ahead of qualifiers ]

He has had some ankle and groin issues in recent weeks, but nothing serious enough to keep him away from linking up with the Ireland camp this week.

One of Omobamidele’s key strengths is his pace, so if he gets selected next Monday night at the Aviva and Mbappé happens to come his way, that’s a challenge he would relish.

“I’d be happy, I’d embrace it, because after the game you are walking off knowing where you are as a player, because that is the ultimate test for any defender in the world, really,” he says.

“I think everyone agrees that he is a good player, he is quick, and I’d like to think I’m quick as well, so I’d love to do a foot race or something like that, see how quick I am!”

[ Kevin Kilbane: Relying on Evan Ferguson to be everything, everywhere, all at once, is foolish ]

[ Belfast boy Mark Sykes ‘all positive’ about decision to declare for Republic of Ireland ]

From his training stats, Omobamidele says he can scorch out at a blistering 10.4 metres per second. Some reports have Mbappé clocking 10.6.

Either way, Omobamidele knows it is important Ireland do not get their Euro 2024 qualification campaign off to a sluggish start. He didn’t watch the rugby last weekend, but reckons the feel-good momentum of that victory can be harnessed by Stephen Kenny’s squad.

“When you see the rugby boys, when they won it gives you that, ‘oh we want to do that as well.’ These two games coming up, I know it’s a friendly with Latvia, but we want to go and beat Latvia, get confidence from Latvia, and bring that to the French game.”

[tetsujin1979]

There was a real chance for experimentation against Norway and Malta in November, and, even with the debuts of Ferguson and Sykes, it wasn't taken IMO. Smallbone was an unused sub, Ebosele wasn't in the squad, no LOI representation, and Travers didn't play a minute in either game

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

The premise in almost every single post, is that when something good happens, it's root cause is somebody else apart from Kenny. and those good things, or positives are mitigated.
When something not ideal, undermining, or just bad happens, it is all Kenny's faults, with zero mitigating circumstances.


Very long post so not going to quote it all. It's all about different opinions. For the life of me, I can't understand how Kenny is still in the job. I think I back my opinion up with facts. For me and some others, it's been a complete waste of the last two/three years where we've gone backwards. I don't think McCarthy was a good manager, yet he got far better results. For others, they see some merit in what he's tried to do. I think his ideas on how to play etc was the correct path but he proved quite early into his reign that he was incapable of getting his ideas across to our players and actually set them up effectively. Like it or not, Anthony Barry did come in and change the tactics and formation. You can't just ignore this. 433 Kenny changed because of this.

A lot of your post is just the usual failed excuses for Kenny. Talking down our players while talking up other teams. Firstly, our players aren't nearly as bad as some would have us believe. The strength of the premier league now with the finance and access to players globally means that our best now won't get to a level as high as our best in the past did. It doesn't automatically mean they are worse players. And they are far better than a lot of the teams we have played under Kenny. I believe it was you who said that Luxembourg at home was Kenny's first 'gimmie' match prior to playing them. Now you're trying to talk up teams like this. It's all revisionist nonsense.

In my opinion, at the end of McCarthy's time, it was set up perfectly for someone to come in with a positive approach and use the experienced squad we had and mix it with these exciting players coming through. Kenny was given that chance and he blew it. That has damaged our development badly. The next manager will have to repair that damage. I believe we got the appointment horribly wrong. With a manager capable at this level, just think how different it could have been. Even a reasonable level of results would have seen us at Euro 2020, competed strongly in our Nation's League groups as well as for the World Cup and we would be in a much stronger position in terms of qualifying for the next Euros.

This could have been done with a more progressive style of play also. They're not mutually exclusive. Instead, our new players have been introduced to a squad with a loser's culture. Where our manager is telling them they're not good enough to compete for qualification for major tournaments. Where some supporters are saying that losing at home 3-0 would be acceptable and coming third in a group would be a good outcome. It's crazy how low expectations have been dragged. And that's down to Kenny.

[Jd2793]

There was a real chance for experimentation against Norway and Malta in November, and, even with the debuts of Ferguson and Sykes, it wasn't taken IMO. Smallbone was an unused sub, Ebosele wasn't in the squad, no LOI representation, and Travers didn't play a minute in either game

nobody playing loi who is within an asses roar of being international level.

[elatedscum]

nobody playing loi who is within an asses roar of being international level.

Andy Lyons?

[Jd2793]

Andy Lyons?

lyons was excellent for rovers. our right sided defensive options are fine and i think hes behind someone like mcnamara who has been playing regularly in the championship for a while. the real outstanding talent(s) over the past 5 or 6 years in LOI have been maguire + byrne (mid 2019-2020 pre covid) . those are the only two whose ability stood out massively to me anyway as lads who could do it at international level while playing here. unfortunately maguires hamstrings gave up on him and JB hasnt hit those highs again imo. lyons has great potential, think he needs to establish himself at a good level in england first.

[LurcherLover]

lyons was excellent for rovers. our right sided defensive options are fine and i think hes behind someone like mcnamara who has been playing regularly in the championship for a while. the real outstanding talent(s) over the past 5 or 6 years in LOI have been maguire + byrne (mid 2019-2020 pre covid) . those are the only two whose ability stood out massively to me anyway as lads who could do it at international level while playing here. unfortunately maguires hamstrings gave up on him and JB hasnt hit those highs again imo. lyons has great potential, think he needs to establish himself at a good level in england first.

McEleney is bigger talent than Jack Byrne.

[Kingdom]

Very long post so not going to quote it all. It's all about different opinions. For the life of me, I can't understand how Kenny is still in the job. I think I back my opinion up with facts. For me and some others, it's been a complete waste of the last two/three years where we've gone backwards. I don't think McCarthy was a good manager, yet he got far better results. For others, they see some merit in what he's tried to do. I think his ideas on how to play etc was the correct path but he proved quite early into his reign that he was incapable of getting his ideas across to our players and actually set them up effectively. Like it or not, Anthony Barry did come in and change the tactics and formation. You can't just ignore this. 433 Kenny changed because of this.

A lot of your post is just the usual failed excuses for Kenny. Talking down our players while talking up other teams. Firstly, our players aren't nearly as bad as some would have us believe. The strength of the premier league now with the finance and access to players globally means that our best now won't get to a level as high as our best in the past did. It doesn't automatically mean they are worse players. And they are far better than a lot of the teams we have played under Kenny. I believe it was you who said that Luxembourg at home was Kenny's first 'gimmie' match prior to playing them. Now you're trying to talk up teams like this. It's all revisionist nonsense.

In my opinion, at the end of McCarthy's time, it was set up perfectly for someone to come in with a positive approach and use the experienced squad we had and mix it with these exciting players coming through. Kenny was given that chance and he blew it. That has damaged our development badly. The next manager will have to repair that damage. I believe we got the appointment horribly wrong. With a manager capable at this level, just think how different it could have been. Even a reasonable level of results would have seen us at Euro 2020, competed strongly in our Nation's League groups as well as for the World Cup and we would be in a much stronger position in terms of qualifying for the next Euros.

This could have been done with a more progressive style of play also. They're not mutually exclusive. Instead, our new players have been introduced to a squad with a loser's culture. Where our manager is telling them they're not good enough to compete for qualification for major tournaments. Where some supporters are saying that losing at home 3-0 would be acceptable and coming third in a group would be a good outcome. It's crazy how low expectations have been dragged. And that's down to Kenny.

Mick McCarthy left the Irish senior squad perfectly set up for someone to come in? Are you on a wind-up? I'm not sure we could even say that he had the team playing better than MoN's end of tenure horridness. Mick McCarthy was offered a job he shouldn't have been offered on good money. He had one mission - to qualify for the Euro's and he failed. He failed from the first moment of his first match in charge. It's an oft-repeated comment from me, but that's because it's relevant. He allowed, into a gale-force wind, in Gibraltar, to allow us to try and muscle and hoof them off the pitch. and it didn't work because we were ****€ and our tactics were ****€. We were blessed to win and should have gone behind only for a wonder save from Randolph.

This was the side from the final match at home vs Denmark.
23 Randolph (GK)
2 Doherty
3 Stevens
4 C Duffy
5 Egan
6 Whelan
Hendrick
8 Browne
Hourihane
9 McGoldrick
11 McClean

Subs
1 O'Hara (GK)
16 Travers (GK)
7 Maguire
10 Brady
12 Robinson
15 K. Long
17 Clark
18 J. Byrne
19 Judge
20 Cullen
21 Parrott
22 J. Collins

Of that experienced final squad, it was so experienced, that 4 of them have been shot as they were that old. Of the others, either their careers have plummetted, they aren't playing at all, or they just weren't up to standard.
We are talking and have been talking about blooding League 1 players that aren't exactly 17/18 to try and come up with some sort of coherent attacking squad. At no point in our past have we been this low on options. You and others are using the analogy that today's Irish Championship players are yesteryears Irish Premier League players - that's total bullocks, no matter what way you dress it up. And even if it wasn't, and I'm not willing to concede that point, given how much bullocks it is, but lets say that is the case, we still aren't replacing championship players with championship players, we are dipping into League 1 for squad options.

David McGoldrick was often Ireland's centre midfield, Ireland's playmaker and Ireland's striker at the same time. As a result we were constantly breaking down positive play, as Ditsy was usually directing it from deep with nobody in front of him to link with.
That's either how bad the tactics were, or the players were. If Mick had continued on, we'd still be waiting for Josh Cullen to be a regular. Our poor-performing (career-wise) youngsters are now fully blooded into international football. There's no awe anymore for Parrott, Connolly, Cullen, Molumby, O'Shea, Collins, Kelleher, Knight, Ogbene, Bazunu, Omabamidele. Kenny did that - there's nothing to say that any other manager would have done that. The squad is in a better place now to push forward, whether that is with Kenny or not. The core rebuilding is done.

Look at the managers before Kenny.
McCarthy - McGoldrick
ONeill - Robbie Brady/John Walters
Trappatoni - Robbie Keane/Damien Duff/Aiden McGeady
Kerr - Robbie Keane/Damien Duff

This is the first Ireland manager that I can remember who doesn't have a natural established/experienced outfield 'out' card to focus his team around. It's undeniable. If you have a squad - in entirity where not one players is a core part of their club side in a offensive manner - it's beyond debilitating. and that's what we had for the best part of the last couple of years. It was Callum Robinson for a short while for Kenny, but the lad is not even consistently playing club football, or scoring.

So I do not accept that this is all Kenny's fault. I accept that is the fault of the FAI who instead of pushing financial resources into youth and domestic football to try and be proactive about the long-term, they pushed money into the hands of managers who by and large couldn't give a fook about Ireland, and who weren't exactly cream of the crop at the moment of their appointments, in order to sate the short-term hard-ons of 'fans' who only give a **** about the big occasion.
Why I'm happy Kenny is still in a job, is that it finally means the FAI are looking at the coffers, and realise we don't have the money to splurge our way out of this nadir with zero guarentee of anything especially given our playing resources, but that splurge would absolutely endanger the good work finally being done underage (meagre and all that it is).
If it takes an extra campaign, I don't care. I'll gladly sacrifice it, if it means that we're in a better position to qualify for more tournaments more consistently, whether that is with Kenny or not.

[elatedscum]

lyons was excellent for rovers. our right sided defensive options are fine and i think hes behind someone like mcnamara who has been playing regularly in the championship for a while. the real outstanding talent(s) over the past 5 or 6 years in LOI have been maguire + byrne (mid 2019-2020 pre covid) . those are the only two whose ability stood out massively to me anyway as lads who could do it at international level while playing here. unfortunately maguires hamstrings gave up on him and JB hasnt hit those highs again imo. lyons has great potential, think he needs to establish himself at a good level in england first.

in fairness, i would have preferred Git Forrester coming on against Armenia to Conor Hourihane ;)

[JR89]

lyons was excellent for rovers. our right sided defensive options are fine and i think hes behind someone like mcnamara who has been playing regularly in the championship for a while. the real outstanding talent(s) over the past 5 or 6 years in LOI have been maguire + byrne (mid 2019-2020 pre covid) . those are the only two whose ability stood out massively to me anyway as lads who could do it at international level while playing here. unfortunately maguires hamstrings gave up on him and JB hasnt hit those highs again imo. lyons has great potential, think he needs to establish himself at a good level in england first.

I wouldn't have Andy Lyons behind McNamara. For me McNamara is too defensive and going forward he's meh. For a team that's up in the play offs his only goal involvement all season is one assist and in his 91 appearances for Millwall he's got two goals. Lyons passed out that goal tally in 11 games for Blackpool. I like McNamara but if you're playing with three CBs then you need WBs that are attack minded.


He also covers LWB as well as RWB and tbh I think a call up in November could have been justified even if it was just to train like Smallbone did. See how he got on and maybe give him a run out at LWB because he was impressive for Rovers in that position and similar to Stevens he was someone that would find himself in goal scoring positions coming inside.

[joey B]

Trouble brewing!!!!!

1638102459825504258

[Kingdom]

Trouble brewing!!!!!

1638102459825504258

Edit, saw on the mobile. Interesting. Imagine it's just le Figaro sh!t-stirring (hopefully not).

[joey B]

That tweet doesn't show up for me. anyone else?

https://mobile.twitter.com/GFFN/status/1638102459825504258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5 Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1638102459825504258%7Ctwgr% 5E28b3a4d0d966a3818f5b0538605591051717ec8d%7Ctwcon %5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ffoot.ie%2Fthreads%2F281811-Republic-of-Ireland-V-Latvia-and-France-March-2023%2Fpage12

[tetsujin1979]

In the midst of all this, Latvia announced their squad last week, but I don't think I know any of their players.
Average age is 26, average of 24 caps each, and 56 goals across the squad
By comparison the Ireland squad's average age is 25, with an average of 20 caps, and 34 goals in total in the squad

https://lff.lv/zinas/14678/pazinots-latvijas-izlases-sastavs-spelem-irija-un-velsa

[tetsujin1979]

That tweet doesn't show up for me. anyone else?
works for me. You at work?

[Kingdom]

works for me. You at work?

Noooooo, yes.

[Eirambler]

In the midst of all this, Latvia announced their squad last week, but I don't think I know any of their players.
Average age is 26, average of 24 caps each, and 56 goals across the squad
By comparison the Ireland squad's average age is 25, with an average of 20 caps, and 34 goals in total in the squad

https://lff.lv/zinas/14678/pazinots-latvijas-izlases-sastavs-spelem-irija-un-velsa

No idea who any of them are, other than Marian Pahars on the coaching staff. Come to think of it I honestly don't think I know the name of a single other Latvian footballer other than him. I think there might have been a Latvian player signed by Arsenal once as a result of a training ground joke, but I can't think of his name (and he may not even have been Latvian!).

[joey B]

In the midst of all this, Latvia announced their squad last week, but I don't think I know any of their players.
Average age is 26, average of 24 caps each, and 56 goals across the squad
By comparison the Ireland squad's average age is 25, with an average of 20 caps, and 34 goals in total in the squad

https://lff.lv/zinas/14678/pazinots-latvijas-izlases-sastavs-spelem-irija-un-velsa

Raivis Jurkovskis was at Dundalk a couple of years ago,no one apart from that….

[Kingdom]

A friend of mine, her son (step-son maybe) is a CB who is a part-timer with Mechelen 17s I think. She was telling me back in Sept that he was invited to join the Latvian U21s squad back in September. She said he isn't very good. Mnetioned him to my young lad who had been in school with him in Bruxelles and he concurred that he wasn't very good. Nice lad, big, strong, but more a basketballer.

[SkStu]

Edit, saw on the mobile. Interesting. Imagine it's just le Figaro sh!t-stirring (hopefully not).

Its all mind games. We have them running scared.

[zero]

Mick McCarthy left the Irish senior squad perfectly set up for someone to come in? Are you on a wind-up? I'm not sure we could even say that he had the team playing better than MoN's end of tenure horridness. Mick McCarthy was offered a job he shouldn't have been offered on good money. He had one mission - to qualify for the Euro's and he failed. He failed from the first moment of his first match in charge. It's an oft-repeated comment from me, but that's because it's relevant. He allowed, into a gale-force wind, in Gibraltar, to allow us to try and muscle and hoof them off the pitch. and it didn't work because we were ****€ and our tactics were ****€. We were blessed to win and should have gone behind only for a wonder save from Randolph.

Yet we won the game. How do you think it would have turned out had Kenny been in charge? All the evidence points towards dropped points and SK making a list of excuses. Struggling against the lower seeded teams has been a hallmark of his time in charge.

I would rate McCarthy's second stint at a 5/10. Kenny so far maybe a 2/10.

[tetsujin1979]

FWIW a friend was at the game in Gibraltar, he was amazed that, between the wind and the pitch, any kind of football was played.

[Stuttgart88]

That's true. We were pretty brutal at home too though.

[tetsujin1979]

Kenny confirms in press conference today that Ferguson will start V Latvia tomorrow night